Ladder-bracket.



C. E. GlDLOF.

LADDER BRACKET.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2\. |916.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

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entran sparse radianti CONRAD E. GIDLOF, 0F HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA.

LADDER-BRACKET.

' Application filed April 21,

To all 't0/0m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CONRAD E. GrnLor, a citizen of the United States, residing at Homestead, in the county of Dade and State of Florida, have invented new and useful improvements in Ladder-Brackets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shelf or scaold supports and has for its chief characteristic to provide a device of this character which may be easily and securely clamped to a ladder or other support for holding the shelf or scaffold thereupon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character in which the shelf is adjustably mounted upon the supporting member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf support including a clamp, the clamp being of novel construction and having means for positively locking the clamp against accidental displacement.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device showing the same applied to the side rail of a ladder. Fig. 2 is a detail View of my device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig, 3 is a bottom plan view of the shelf showing the novel form of bracket.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my invention comprises a pair of shanks 1 and 2 respectively, which are pivotally secured to each other adjacent their ends as at 3, the shank 1 being relatively longer than the shank 2 as is clearly shown in the drawings. The upper ends of each of the Shanks 1 and 2 are provided with right angularly disposed jaws e, the confronting edges of which are provided with teeth 5. lt will be noted that the jaws are of a lesser width than that of the shanks so as to accommodate and grip a suitable supporting member7 such as the side rail 6 of a ladder. The longer shank 1 is provided upon its outer edge with an ear 7 which is adapted to pivotally receive one end of a lever 8, the opposite end of the lever being provided with a handle 9. T he lever is provided with an offset portion 10 adjacent the handle 9 which is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 11, the latter being adapted to receive the outer edge of the -shank 2 whereby, upon downward movement of the lever the shank 2 will move to Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dan. 23, 1911*?.

191e. serial No. 92,684.

cause the jaw carried thereby to move inwardly toward the remaining jaw and thus cause the jaws d to securely engage the side rail 6 of the ladder.

To prevent upward movement of the lever S after the aws have been moved into clamps ing position, I have provided the shank 2 with a series of spaced openings 1Q any one of which are adapted to receive a locking pin 13. rl`he pin is adapted to be placed in one of the openings 12 adjacent the upper edge of the lever S so that when the lever attempts to move upwardly under the expansion tension of the shanks 1 and 2, the lever will engage the pin 13 and thus prevem further movement of the lever and consequent opening of the jaws. The pin 13 is permanently carried by the shank 1 by means of a chain or other flexible connector 14 so that the pin will always be carried by the clamping member or support. It will be noted that the slot 11 in the offset portion 10 coniines the lever upon the shank 2 and thus prevents a lateral movement of the former and consequent accidental displacement of the lever from the influence of the pin.

In applying the clamping member to the side rail 6 of the ladder, the shanks 1 and 2 are arranged upon the outside of the side rail, the jaws d engaging the opposite edges of the rail as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The lever 8 is adapted to be disposed upon the outer side of one of .the rails 6, the offset portion 10 thereof being so disposed as to engage the outer edge of the shank 2.

The longer shank 1 is adapted to support a shelf or scaffold 15 which is in this instance a rectangular piece of metal or the like. Secured to the under side of the shelf 15 is a pair of divergent arms 16 which are connected at their adjacent ends by means of an upstanding` ear 17, the latter being disposed upon one side edge of the shelf 15 and projecting upwardly therefrom. This ear 17 is adapted to be secured to the lower end of the long shank 1 by means of a screw 18, the latter extending through the shank and ear and being provided with a nut 19 whereby the ear may be clamped in any desired position. lt will thus be seen that the shelf may be clamped in any adjusted position so as to suitably support an article thereupon.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a supporting means for a shelf or the like, the same being so constructed as to be readily attached or secured upon a ladder or other suitable support and furthermore that l have provided means for positively locking the clamp in active position so as to prevent accidental movement or displacement of the same. lt will be further noted that the shank 2 being relatively shorter than the shank l may be moved freely to cause the jaws to clamp the side rail under the action of the lever 8.

t is thought that from the foregoing taken in connection with the -accompanying` drawings that the construction and operation o my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and that minor changes in size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and Scope of the 'appended claims.

What claim is.

l. A shelf support comprising a clamp including` Shanks pivotally connected to each other adjacent their ends, jaws formed on each of the shanks adjacent their pv oted connection, a lever pivotally mounted on one of the Shanks and having a cam engagement with the other shank to move the jaws to clamping position, means carl the Shanks, a lever pivotally mounted upon one of the shanks and having its free end formed in a Slot to receive the longitudinal edge ol the other shank whereby upon movement of the lever the said shank will be moved into engagement with the remaining shank, means carried by one of the Shanks and adjustably mounted in the remaining shank to lock the lever against movement in one direction, and a shelf supporting bracket carried by one of the Shanks.

ln testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CONRAD E. GDLOF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

